Confirmation studies of Soviet research on immunological effects of microwaves: Russian immunology results.

This paper presents the results of a replication study performed to investigate earlier Soviet studies conducted between 1974 and 1991 that showed immunological and reproductive effects of long-term low-level exposure of rats to radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields. The early studies were used, in part, for developing exposure standards for the USSR population and thus it was necessary to confirm the Russian findings. In the present study, the conditions of RF exposure were made as similar as possible to those in the earlier experiments: Wistar rats were exposed in the far field to 2450 MHz continuous wave RF fields with an incident power density in the cages of 5 W/m² for 7 h/day, 5 days/week for a total of 30 days, resulting in a whole-body SAR of 0.

Genetic effects of testicular incorporation of 137Cs in mice.

A comparative estimation of the frequencies of genetic disorders induced in germ cells of male mice by a single or long-term exposure to incorporated 137Cs or to external gamma-radiation has been carried out. The frequencies of dominant lethal mutations induced by a single exposure were similar with both types of radiation. In stem cell spermatogonia the frequency of reciprocal translocations was significantly lower in the case of single 137Cs administration than upon external gamma-radiation.

Evaluation of the genetic effects of 238Pu incorporated into mice.

The genetic effects of 238Pu incorporated into male mice were estimated by several tests. The activity of the administered 238Pu nitrate varied from 7 to 1850 Bq/g of body weight. The average alpha-radiation dose absorbed in the testes ranged from 2 to 96 cGy, with a dose rate of 0.

Genetic effects of 131I in reproductive cells of male mice.

A study was made of the frequencies of dominant lethal mutations (DLM) in pre- and post-meiotic germ cells, reciprocal translocations (RT) in spermatogonia and abnormal sperm heads (ASH) induced by a single intraperitoneal administration of Na131I with an activity of 1.48-740 kBq/g to male mice. The frequency of DLM was shown to increase only when postmeiotic cells were exposed to the radionuclide.

Carcinogenic effects in rat progeny exposed perinatally to radionuclides.

The distribution of two transuranic elements, plutonium and americium, in pregnant rats and in their fetuses, and the carcinogenic effects seen in progeny exposed perinatally are discussed. The appearance of malignant tumours in the liver and skeleton corresponds to the pattern of deposition of these radionuclides in the body.

Genetic effects of radiocarbon in reproductive cells of male mice.

The genetic effect of incorporated radiocarbon was studied after single, long-term (33 days) and chronic (6 and 12 months) treatment of male mice (CBA X C57B1) F1 with [14C]glucose. The genetic effect in male germ cells was estimated by 3 tests: DLM frequency in post- and pre-meiotic cells, RT frequency in stem spermatogonia and frequency of abnormal sperm heads. Absorbed doses in the gonads were: 0.